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Paula "Inner City Chick" K.'s Profile
Date
Luckily, I had been craving Chinese food, so ordered one of the combos ($11). The lemon chicken was unremarkable - small bits of meat that was undistinguishable as to whether it was white or dark, in a light batter and lemon sauce. I have had similar or better at fast food kiosks in shopping malls. The fried rice was average, if not a bit greasy, and the vegetables were tasty but cold. I did not finish them.
I also noticed one of my co-workers did not finish his veggies with his supper meal later on. In fact, others with whom I was working also expressed disappointment in the food. "Why change perfection?" one said about the menu. Another person remarked that the food and service has gone downhill fast.
I know that the casino is capable of better than this.
Fortunately, the green onion cake (and Vietnamese coffee) I had as a mid-afternoon snack were wonderful. The onion cake was a generous portion (two cakes) and very crispy.
My Prime Rib dinner (it was Prime Rib Monday and the 8 ounce portion was on sale) was also quite good. I thought my slab of meat was larger than 8 ounces, and the roasted potatoes really stole the show. It was one whole potato cut in half and skinned. The outsides were crispy and the insides were fluffy.
In conclusion, I would have to say that Cafe Paradice has become inconsistent, if anything. I really hope the kitchen and management gets it act together, because a casino needs a good restaurant.
1 Previous Review:
-
12/22/2008 First to Review
Cafe Paradice is the restaurant located within the Baccarat Casino. The dining area is not far removed from the games, so the lighting is low and the table layout is pretty basic. The menu, however, is quite varied, featuring Asian items, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and dinners. On weekends, there is a very inexpensive breakfast special served until 1:30 p.m.
I was volunteering at a casino for a non-profit organization recently, and Cafe Paradice provided our meals. Service was friendly and quick. I had the breakfast special for lunch, which was an omelette with two fillings of my choice, hash browns, and toast. The serving was small, but tasted great. I also ordered a green onion cake as a treat, and it was surprisingly excellent - not overly fried, fluffy, and served with hot sauce.
For supper, I had prime rib. Slow roasted all day, this is only available after 6 p.m. It was worth the wait. I opted for the eight ounce portion (the smallest of the three offered) which was soft, juicy, and served with flavourful vegetables, a small piece of garlic toast, and roasted potatoes. The potatoes were incredible - one whole potato sliced in half and skinned, with a crispy outside and fluffy inside. A small bowl of au jus was provided for dipping.
Meals ar Cafe Paradice are inexpensive compared to other restaurants serving similar items. My prime rib dinner was $14.95 which is not bad for a portion that size. Although I am not much of a gamer, I think I would head to Cafe Paradice if I was in the mood for great food without breaking my budget.
Edmonton, AB T5H 0Z7
(780) 426-1223
Ho Restaurant Vietnamese Noodle House
Category:
Vietnamese
Ho Vietnamese Noodle House is the new restaurant that has opened in the space. The facade of the building has been completely redone. Inside, the small seating area is clean and bright. Best of all, the new owners are friendly, service is wonderful, and if you sit facing the front window you get a wonderful view. You can see everything going on along that part of 107A Avenue down 97 Street, as well as the downtown skyline in the distance.
The menu is quite large, and includes everything from pho soup and vermicelli noodle bowls to stir fried and sizzling dishes. There is also a good selection of appetizers and beverages. I went with a regular sized bowl of Pho Tai, which is medium rare sliced beef in beef broth with noodles.
For a regular bowl, it was huge, and had more noodles than average. The beef was sliced thin and was tender, although it was already cooked through when it reached our table (usually it still has some pink and continues cooking in the bowl). My dining companion had a bowl of beef noodle soup without any meat added, and she was also impressed with the portion size.
And how did the soup taste? Both of us could smell the aromatics in the broth as soon as the bowls were placed before us, which was a very good sign. Broth really makes or breaks pho. It should have several layers of flavour, without being overly salty or sweet. This broth was light coloured, not too greasy, and had a wonderful combination of seasonings. It was delicious.
We both agreed we would return just to enjoy the soup again. However, I am also looking forward to trying some of the other menu items, which are reasonably priced. Bowls of soup will run you about $8-$10 while other main dishes range from $9-$16, Located right along 107A Avenue, the restaurant is very accessible by walking. There is also a small parking area in the back.
Don't judge a book by its cover - or in this case, a restaurant by its former appearance. Ho Vietnamese Noodle House is poised to add more flavour to Chinatown.
Edmonton, AB T5H
(780) 438-8298
Maki Maki Japanese & Vietnamese Restaurant
Categories:
Japanese,
Vietnamese
First of all, there is ample parking, which is rare for a Whyte Avenue restaurant. Second, both Japanese and Vietnamese cuisine is served here. Yes, that means you can get some sushi along with your steaming bowl of pho.
I had an avocado roll, because I love vegetarian sushi and avocado. The roll was the perfect size, with a large chunk of avocado in the centre, surrounded by crispy tempura bits. I also had a bowl of pho tai, which is rare steak in beef broth. The bowl was huge and the meat was tender. Best of all, the broth was perfectly seasoned and beefy - it definitely had several layers of flavour. And at around $10, the pho was easily amongst the most affordable item on the menu.
Also on the extensive menu is a plethora of different kinds of sushi, sashimi, and vermicelli bowls. My companion had a stir fried teriyaki beef udon platter. The beef was quite flavourful and the udon was cooked perfectly.
There are lunch specials, some of which include bubble tea, a full assortment of beers and other drinks, as well as desserts. Service is friendly and our food came within a reasonable amount of time. I would definitely come here again.
Edmonton, AB T5H 2E2
(780) 421-1507
Santo's Resto-Lounge
Categories:
Italian,
Pizza,
Beer, Wine & Spirits
Listed in: Welcome to McCauley
1 Previous Review:
-
10/9/2008 First to Review
Santo's is a family business that is one of the mainstays of Little Italy. There are two parts to the restaurant - the dining room, and the bar area. The dining room is family-friendly, but a bit on the small side. It gets very crowded during supper. The bar has a decent amount of seating, full bar service, and a number of VLTs.
Most people come to Santo's for the pizza. Lots of toppings, a crisp crust, and freshness are some of the pizza's major selling points. There is also a selection of pastas, and entrees like burgers, chicken fingers, steaks, and other items that are reasonably priced and generous in size.
The lighting is a bit on the dark side, and it can get loud in there during busy times. The food is worth it though. A number of people, particularly cab drivers (and who would know the city better than a cab driver?) have listed Santo's among their favourite restaurants.
Lots of items are marked down heavily or on clearance. This is a great place to go for a house warming gift.
I myself am a huge fan of building my own burger. As a picky eater, I often grow tired with requesting things be held or substituted. Here, I can pick the burger to the bun to the toppings, which range from standard to bizarre.
My first adventure was a beef burger on a multigrain bun with mayo, no cheese, and caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, a fried egg, and black olives. The beef patty itself was thick and juicy, seasoned a bit more than I normally like, but still great. I could taste all of my toppings (I thought the flavours would just blend together) and there was plenty of each. My only beef (ha-ha!) was I asked for my friend egg to be hard in the centre, and instead it was runny and broke on the trip home. As a result, my fries (obviously hand cut and delicious) were coated in yolk.
However, I remain undaunted. I will boldly go and try new combinations. I also hope to actually dine in the place itself so I can experience the sodas and milkshakes.
I was not surprised by how busy the location was on a Saturday afternoon, but was surprised by the setup. Sit down, peruse menu, go to the counter to order and pay, sit back down, have everything brought to your table. A little strange, but hey - whatever works.
I ordered a marinara pizza, which at $8 was the least expensive on the menu and also had no cheese. Cheese-less pizzas are rare. I found the crust to be as described - crisp around the edge, slight charring, and moist towards the centre. Now, if a fast food pizza was like that one would complain it was soggy, but this is authentic Neopolitan pizza which is thin crust and cooked for 90 seconds in a blazingly hot oven, so let us not be critical. Honestly, I liked it - the tomato sauce is unique and tangy.
I would definitely come here again but not alone. I don't think I would be able to consume an entire pizza with cheese and other toppings on my own.
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Edmonton, AB
Yelping SinceSeptember 2008
Things I Loveedmonton, writing, guitars, bicycles, food, movies, books, reading, religion, politics, restaurants, activism, judaism, social media, songwriting, christianity, friends, family, festivals
Find Me InMcCauley and Boyle Street
My HometownEdmonton, AB
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I am writing or making music.
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI live, breathe, eat, and enjoy Edmonton.
My Second Favourite Website The Last Great Book I ReadThe Film Club by David Gilmour
My First ConcertChris De Burgh
My Favourite MovieLove, Actually
My Last Meal On EarthMy mom's fried chicken
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I enjoy Janet Evanovich novels and chick flicks.
Most Recent DiscoveryMalbec wines
Current CrushIt's a secret :-)
The staff here are super friendly. And the food? Well, if you like Swiss Chalet, then you won't be disappointed.